This about two podcast episodes. First up, is the Fresh Air episode featuring Jeremy Strong who became famous for portraying the part of Kendall Roy in HBO’s Succession, which was based on the disgusting Rupert Murdoch family. Currently he can be seen in the movie The Apprentice playing the even more disgusting role of Roy … Continue reading Playing the Disgusting Roys and the Photogenic Sport
Podcasts
My Top Ten TV Shows of the 20th Century – #8
This is the eighth post of a series. I had intended to post all of these in chronological order, but that was broken early on when Tommie Smothers died and I felt I had to mention The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour out of order. I was going to save The West Wing for last, but Fresh … Continue reading My Top Ten TV Shows of the 20th Century – #8
Getting Two-Year-Olds To Stay On Script
Have you ever wondered how they get two-year-old actors to stay on script in the movies? The answer might surprise you. That’s one of the topics that’s covered in the latest episode of the Scriptnotes podcast, Big Money Movies with Marielle Heller. Did you know that they can train squirrels? Yes, squirrels can be trained … Continue reading Getting Two-Year-Olds To Stay On Script
Engineers vs. Climate Change
In the Naked Scientists episode Engineers vs climate change Chris Smith takes a look at some novel means of combatting climate change. A sample quote: So for me, energy is absolutely key to solving the climate crisis. 80% of all the world's greenhouse emissions from energy comes from fossil fuels. Interesting fact, if we stop … Continue reading Engineers vs. Climate Change
A Stuntman’s Tricks
This Fresh Air podcast is worth a listen: A Former Stunt Performer Shares Tricks Of The Trade Filmmaker and stunt coordinator David Leitch says it's easier to do stunts himself than direct his stunt performer friends. "You are responsible for their safety," he explains. "Your heart goes through your chest." His film The Fall Guy … Continue reading A Stuntman’s Tricks
Sondheim and Channing and White, Oh My!
In Episode #57 of the Giants in the Sky podcast Stuart Zagnit, who was the replacement Steward on the tour of Into the Woods, “gives the ins and outs of acting on a national tour, and drops some delicious show biz tidbits along the way.” Here are two short excerpts from that episode. In the … Continue reading Sondheim and Channing and White, Oh My!
Correcting the nytimes
The New York Times used to be a respected newspaper, but over the last few decades it’s been sliding downhill, particularly rapidly in the last few years. Its science reporting especially used to be top notch. No more. A case in point is its recent article alleging that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was hatched in a … Continue reading Correcting the nytimes
A Love Letter to Sondheim
Terry Gross interviews actor Jonathan Groff and director Maria Friedman about the current revival of George Furth and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. It’s well worth a listen. Jonathan mentions finding new things in the words and music even after playing over 300 performances, and Maria talks about Sondheim becoming godfather to one of … Continue reading A Love Letter to Sondheim
Craig Mazin and the Bears
In the latest Scriptnotes podcast, It’s Brutal Out Here, bald screenwriter Craig Mazin talks about his new favorite Bible verse. Hint: it’s one that I mentioned a couple weeks ago. He has a lot of fun with it.
How The Village Voice Changed Journalism
Here’s another podcast recommendation. How The Village Voice Changed Journalism The Village Voice, founded in 1955, is widely credited as the first alternative weekly newspaper, or alt-weekly. The big show this week is all about the rise and fall of the alt-weekly—the type of off-beat, fearless publication that, once-upon-a-time, you could pick up on a … Continue reading How The Village Voice Changed Journalism